Plans have been submitted to place a blue plaque on the outside of The Poly in Falmouth to commemorate the two sisters who helped found it almost 200 years ago.

Falmouth Civic Society has applied for listed building consent to put up the plaque to commemorate Anna Maria Fox and Caroline Fox.

Documents included with the application state that The Poly opened in 1833 as a purpose-built arts, science and history centre and led country-wide innovation in those areas.

The design statement explains: "Falmouth Civic Society wishes to carry on its programme of honouring significant historical figures in and around Falmouth regarding their effect on the town and in particular their foresight in providing educational means for all via a Polytechnic Society.

"Anna and Caroline Fox of the prolific Fox family, who have permeated all walks of life in the town and beyond are, as the Falmouth Civic society puts it, worthy of recognition in their own right for the development and furtherance of learning for all."

The Poly (Image: Michael Harris)

Falmouth Civic Society states: "Both Anna Maria Fox and Caroline Fox (sisters) proved their significance to Falmouth from the early ages of 17 and 13 respectively. Anna Maria inspired the founding of the Cornwall Polytechnic Society, recorded as saying of the workforce of the Perran Foundry (a family business): 'What an advantage it would be to those men if there could be some fitting arena provided for all this inventive talent: if the really useful inventions could be at once recognised and rewarded, and if those clever men who are only wasting their time by trying to do something which has already been done, and has proved useless, could by conference with more experienced mechanicians be saved from thus squandering their energies!' (Transceltic website).

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"And Caroline was ‘credited not only with giving the institution its name but for implanting the word ‘Polytechnic’ for the first time in the English language.’ (Harris, 1944)."

How the plaque would look

In their submission the civic society say there are no other plaques or permanent markers in the town to the sisters other than a gravestone in Falmouth's quaker cemetery.

The design statement concludes: "A blue plaque will be a first for the Poly, but not for Falmouth, and it is hoped that consent will be forthcoming for this well-loved, unusual and vibrant, much-used building whilst remembering the very modern minds who were motivated to found, and fund it not very short of 200 years ago."